Cabotage Registration: NIMASA To Sanction IOCs Engaging Unregistered Vessels

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has issued a three-month ultimatum to companies engaged in Cabotage trade in Nigeria to register all vessels used in coastal and inland waters trade.

The agency made this known on Sunday in a statement issued by Philip Kyanet, Head, Corporate Communications, NIMASA, to journalists in Port Harcourt. It stated that operators with expired registration certificates were to ensure the renewal of their Cabotage Operational Certificate/License for all Cabotage vessels within three months.

According to the statement, at the expiration of the three months, NIMASA will notify relevant government authorities and International Oil Companies (IOCs) to bar vessels without valid Cabotage certificates.

It stated that the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, made this known shortly after the agency released a Marine Notice to announce the decision.

It quoted Jamoh as also stating that the notice was part of efforts to ensure strict enforcement of the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act 2003 and Guidelines on Implementation of the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act 2003.

Jamoh also  reiterated in the statement that the Cabotage Act provided that every vessel intended for use in domestic trade must be duly registered by the Registrar of Ships.

The D-G said: “The law provides that every vessel intended for use under the Cabotage Act must be duly registered in the appropriate register and the operational certificates be renewed annually. We are out to ensure strict implementation of NIMASA’s mandate under the law.

“Ultimately, our intention is to build and continue to enhance the capacity of Nigerians in the shipping industry in line with relevant international regulations.”